Ask Pinkbike: Arktos vs Enduro, 29er Wheels, 4X Frames
Here at Pinkbike we get inundated with all kinds of questions, ranging from the basic "Can I have stickers" to more in-depth, soul-searching types of queries like if you should pop the question or what to name your first child. Ask Pinkbike is an occasional column where we'll be hand-picking and answering questions that have been keeping readers up at night, although we'll likely steer clear of those last two and keep it more tech oriented.
Arktos VS Enduro
Question: Pinkbike user eltejas asked this question in the all-mountain, enduro and cross-country forum: Alchemy's Arktos and the Specialized Enduro; what's your take on these beauties?
 | I've been spending a ton of time on the 150mm-travel, 27.5'' wheeled Arktos and have been impressed with how efficient and playful it seems. The Alchemy is one of the few all-mountain bikes that doesn't feel like a burden during long, hard days in the saddle, and its lively personality makes it a lot of fun to ride. What it's not, however, is a true enduro race rig. Sure, you can haul ass on it, and it's more capable than most of us will ever need, but it doesn't have that invincible attitude that a true enduro race bike has. The Enduro, on the other hand, could be described using the old 'miniature downhill bike' cliche, and it's never been truer than when talking about Specialized's latest all-mountain monster. It eats up chunky, fast terrain, and feels more stable than the Arktos when doing so, but it's also much more bike when you're on run of the mill trails. It's going to be a lot of bike for some riders who aren't honest when it comes to their abilities and the kind of trails they ride, but to each their own. The Enduro is also available in two flavors - a 29'' wheeled model with 165mm of travel, and a 27.5'' version with 170mm - so you can choose what best suits you. What would I choose? I rarely race, but I do like to haul ass on the downs and go on some big adventures that involve a ton of pedaling, so I'm likely to reach for the Arktos. If I did race, spend a lot of time in the bike park, or ride with buddies who spent more time sessioning jumps and drops than pedaling, I'd pick the new Enduro. - Mike Levy |
Enduro-Ready 29er Wheelset?
Question: Pinkbike user @Abe-Roy wrote in the All Mountain, Enduro & Cross-Country forum: I ride a 2015 Salsa Horsethief with the SRAM Roam 40 wheels. I recently destroyed my rear rim. I wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions on an affordable 29er wheelsets under $700. I am an aggressive rider and I race mainly enduro. Can you help me?
| I've been thrashing around on a set of Stan's new Flow MK3 wheelset for the last few months with excellent results. They're nice and wide, with a 29mm internal width, weigh a very reasonable 1870 grams, and are extremely easy to set up tubeless. Plus, at $679 USD they fall within your budget. If it were me, I'd be tempted to go the custom route, and build up a pair of Flow MK3 rims around a set of DT Swiss hubs. Stan's Neo hubs haven't given me any trouble, but I'm an even bigger fan of DT Swiss' simple yet effective star ratchet design. If you were about to embark on an epic ride, whether that's an adventure of your own making or something along the lines of the Trans Provence or BC Bike Race, a spare star ratchet could easily be tossed into a pack, which means that in the unlikely event your hub stopped engaging it'd only take a matter of minutes to fix it and be back on the trail. - Mike Kazimer |
Stan's Flow MK3 wheelset is strong enough for enduro racing, and light enough that you won't be dreading the climbs.
Four Crossers
Question: Pinkbike user @TheLastSamurai asked this question in the Downhill Forum: I've been riding a GT Lopes 55 since 2009 when I was a teenager. Times have changed and now I accidentally found myself still riding that frame, although I added 5cm and now I'm 176 tall. The frame feels quite short for me, others say that my body resembles a little bit of a hook during riding (stem is 50mm). I tried my friend's Hornet 4x and found it very easy to surf and jump bumps. I feel that the change is needed. The problem is that I always was prone to think that the most important part is something between the handlebars and the frame and the rest stuff simply does not matter. So, I've never been updated on new 4x frames. Which one could you recommend for me? I googled and found Antidote Pacemaker carbon frame which seems on the edge of technology, but what about the others?
| Four-cross suitable frames have fallen from fashion in recent years after the UCI dropped the 4X World Cup Series, BMX made a big comeback, and dirt jump mountain bikes have become the norm for street/dirt/slalom/4X. The main differences between a 4X specific frame over a dirt frame will be a stiffer alloy frameset for quick response and gate starts (although less forgiving when you case that big landing and wish the lawyer was on speed dial). The head angle should also be a little slacker for high-speed stability, chainstays might be a little longer and it will have provisions for gearing. If you are looking for a slightly bigger size frame too, your options are limited; I would suggest a reach figure around 400mm to be small, and 430mm would be a generous large frame. The Antidote you mentioned looks beautiful and the best option if you want to win a 4X race. Only one size with a 420mm reach, but at 1599 Euros for a frameset it isn't cheap. The Hornet 4X has a 415mm reach which I suggest is right in the middle of sizing and is a bargain, NS Bikes also make the specific Liar 4X with 405mm reach. The only bike of all these I have swung a leg over is the cro-moly Transition PBJ (Pumps, Bumps, n' Jumps) which is a good mix of more supple steel tubing, slacker head angle and has a large size with 430mm reach, but is singlespeed only. Other bikes to consider are the Evil Faction which has three sizes with the large having a 424mm reach, the Bergamont Kiez also comes in a large size with 435mm reach, the biggest frame I can find. - Paul Aston |
Antidote's handmade carbon Pacemaker is stunning, but the frame costs more than most complete bikes.
The Liar from NS comes in at 339 Euros for the frame.
The Dartmoor Hornet 4X is cheap and cheerful at 250 Euros.
Transition's PBJ has a good mix of steel frame, slack head angle and a large size.
Have some unresolved tech questions? Jump in the Pinkbike Forum and we'll look to answer it for next time.
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They are talking about bringing it on a ride were your freehub going would land you in serious trouble. Similarly, I would never bring extra spokes or chainring bolts with me on a normal ride, but on bikepacking trips, they are a very very good idea if you don't like walking your bike 25 miles back to the trailhead. They weigh next to nothing, too, so the only thing they do is take up a little bit of space
At least if you carry a spare, you can replace it without tools?
Also, agree with the above poster about the BULL$#!+ comment of the arktos being one of the few all mountain bikes that's not a burden.... WTH? I'd say it's the other way round these days. If your considering an "all mountain" bike purchase from an established mountain bike brand it's pretty hard to find one that "IS" a burden these days...
Date your rims, marry your hubs!!
That said, I'd prefer a silent hub myself.
I'd encourage you to open it up, no tools needed. Look inside. It's a very very simple system. You should clean and relube from time to time
1) They have an excellent reputation for CS, and the times I have used it they have been outstanding (one creak question and one technical query, both resolved quickly and efficiently).
2) They produce parts that can update your frame to newer standards. The old HD had a 650b conversion kit for example, whilst the Hd3 swingarm can be replaced with a boost one. Don't get me wrong, it costs a fair whack of money, but it is nice to have the option as I tend to keep my bikes a long time...
I have two friends who have had excellent experiences with Santa Cruz too to be fair... There will be other good companies out there too, and/or your bike shop can help out massively but that is a different topic!
Dialled bikes
Identity Krisis, they very long though
Old nuke proof snap
An don't listen to anybody that says 650 will 4X, unless you wanna be last oot the gate
it was Duncan that told me tweeners don't gate well. Same day at chicky this year when he was 4th an pulled that T,bone on ya in the B,final
www.corsairbikes.com